Saratoga, WY 82331
North Platte Valley Medical Center: financial help and billing questions
What this means for your bill
Likely covered by IRS rule 501(r): it must have a financial assistance policy, give you at least 240 days to apply, and hold off on credit reporting, lawsuits and debt sales while you do. Ask for the policy today.
Critical access hospitals are small rural hospitals, limited to 25 inpatient beds. They are often the only hospital for a long drive in any direction.
Its financial assistance policy: not confirmed
We could not find a published financial assistance policy for North Platte Valley Medical Center on its own website. That does not mean there isn't one.
Call the billing office and ask for the written financial assistance policy and the application. Ask for the policy by name; staff sometimes call it “charity care” or a “sliding scale.”
Four things to ask the billing office
- 1"Please send me the itemized bill, with dates, codes and units."
- 2"Please put my account on hold while I apply for financial assistance."
- 3"Please send the written financial assistance policy and application."
- 4"What is the deadline to apply, and can I confirm it in writing?"
The deadlines that protect you
30 days
A provider has 30 days to answer a request for your medical records (one 30-day extension is allowed).
120 days
Uninsured or self-pay patients can dispute a bill $400 or more over their Good Faith Estimate within 120 days of the bill.
180 days
Many plans give about 180 days from the denial letter to appeal. The date on your letter is the one that counts.
240 days
Nonprofit hospitals must let you apply for financial assistance for at least 240 days after the first bill following discharge.
These are common federal windows. Plans and hospitals can differ. The dates on your own letters count.
Common questions
Does North Platte Valley Medical Center have a financial assistance program?+
Medicare lists it as a nonprofit, so it should have a written financial assistance policy under IRS section 501(r). We could not confirm a posted copy. Ask the billing office for it by name.
How long do I have to apply?+
Nonprofit hospitals must allow at least 240 days from the first bill after discharge to apply for financial assistance (IRS section 501(r)).
Is North Platte Valley Medical Center a nonprofit?+
Medicare's hospital list labels it "Voluntary non-profit - Private". That label is Medicare's, not the IRS's. To confirm 501(c)(3) status, search the hospital's name in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and read its Form 990.
Other Wyoming hospitals
- Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Cheyenne
- Community Hospital, Torrington
- Banner Wyoming Medical Center, Casper
- Campbell County Health, Gillette
- Cheyenne Va Medical Center, Cheyenne
Wyoming medical bill rights and programs →
Sources
- CMS Hospital General Information (Provider Data Catalog), pulled 2026-10-30
- IRS: requirements for 501(c)(3) hospitals, section 501(r)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it. Hospitals are welcome to send their current policy.
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